Folding partition



J. T. FAIRHURST July 7, 17925.

FOLDING PARTITION -5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec.

@noemt-oz y Jan '7'. Fa #772176Z- @Halal/w13' s sheets-sheet aygm-vanto@ John T. Fairhzlrst 977mg@ @QQ/Q FOLDING PARTITION Flled Deo'7, 1923 T. FA-IRHURST July 7, 1925.

July .7, 51925. 1,544,823

' J. T. FAIRHURST FOLDING PARTITION Filed Dec. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet s151 5 4 vweutoz Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED. STATES JOHN T. FAIRHURST, OF ELIZABETH,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR THE J. G.. WILSON CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING PARTITION.

Application ledlecemher 71923. Serial Nb. 679,116.

To aZZ whom it may eminem.'

Be it known that I, JOHN T. FAIRHURST, a subject of the King of England,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New'Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingIPartitions,. of .which the following 'is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present inventionv relates to new and useful improvements inpartitions and more particularly to partitions of the folding type Y Li' It is one of the. primary objects of the present invention to providea new and improved form of guiding means for the several sections of asectional partition of the` folding type.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improvedmeans for retaining the several sections ofthe partition `againstaccidental movement when the sections are in their folded position.

It is a still further object of the invention to construct the guidingmeans in such a manner that the several sections may be movedindependently of each other from their extended to their foldedposition.

lV ith the above and other objects in 'View reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a partition comprising .aplurality of sections each of which consists of a pair of doors orsimilar elements hingedly connected together;

Figure2 is a and partly in section showing the guiding means;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing position of the various parts of theguiding and retaining means when the sections. of the partition are intheir 'folded position;

Figure 4 is a detail'ver'tical sectional view showing a portion oftheguiding means and the relative position of the parts when the sectionsof the partition are in their eX- tended position; and

Figure 5 is a view taken at right angles -io Figure'4 with a portion oftheframe broken away. I

Referring more speciically to the drawings the reference'nume'ral 6designates an outer frame employed to define an opening4 these rollers 8detail view partly in plan adapted to be closed either partially orcompletely by the folding partition. l

The partition "comprises `a plurality of sections 7 and each sectionconsists of two ldoors or similar members hingedly connected together asat 13 in Figure 3. It is to be understood that the sections 7 are nothinged together and that the hinges 13 only pivotallyconnect theelements of the sections.

The upper portion of the frame 6 constitutes a housing as shown inFigure 4 and suitably mounted in said housing in opposed relation thereyare two channel irons 22 constituting a track. The left hand sec. tion 7in Figure 1, has its left hand element pivotally mounted in the frameasat 12. The weight of the several sectionsis supl ported by casters25,'the specific construction of which is disclosed in mycopendingapplicat2i4dn, Serial No. 686,508, filed January 16, 19 y Theright hand element of this section-7 1s provided near the outer edge ofits upper end with a spindle 24. This spindle 24 is rotatable. in itsmounting and has pivotally mounted on its upper end asat 14, a yokemember 23. This yoke member 23 carries a plurality `of rollers 8 ofwhich there are preferably four, as' shown in Figure 3, and travel inthe track formed by the channel irons 22. It is to be understood thatthe housing formed in the top of the outer frame 6 is provided with asuitable passageway through which the spindle 24 travels. rlihe. centersection of the in Figure 1 is provided upon each of its side edges andin its upper end with a spindle 24, yoke 23 and rollers 8, as is alsothe right hand sections of the partition, this construction being shownin Figure 1. y In addition to the spindle 24 and its assopartition shownciated parts the two right hand sections of the partition in l* igure 1are provided with guide rollers 8, which rollers move through a portionof the passageway provided for the spindle 24 vand engage the side wallsof this passageway to guide the sections in their sliding movement.

:Secured tothe upper portion of the outer frame- 6 at spaced intervalsadjacentthe left hand-side of Figure 1 are two pivoted plates 1'1. Theseplates 11xare adapted to occupy7 Carried. by the top edge of each-sections 7 and adjacent the spindle 24 there is an upestanding stud 1Gand the said stud 16 is so arranged as to engage its respective pivotedplate 11 when the several sections they are shown in Figure .v

of the partition are moved from the extended position to the foldedposition. pivoted plates 11 heretofore mentioned are each carried by aplate 10 suitably secured in the outer frame As shown in Figure 2, thepassageway through which the spindle 24; travels is intercepted bypassageways 19 at substantial right angles thereto, as indlcated 1nFigures 1 and Q'and these passageways 19 are to permit of the guiderollers S passing out of the housing formed in the upper side of theouter partition G during the folding op eration of the sections. 4

'lVith the parts in the position shownlin Figure 1 in which the severalelementsof the partition `are in their extended position, the pivotedplates'll occupy a osition parallel with the passage througii which thespindle `24E operates as-shown in Figure 2. To move sections of thepartition to the position inf'which they are shown in Figure 3, thelatch bolt Q0 is lifted andthe two ele ments ofthe left hand section-7in Figurel are moved to the position 'shown in Figure 3, this actionbeing permitted b-y reason .of

lthe hinge 13. The two elements of the next adjacent section are thenmoved to the position shown in Figure 2, at which time the guide rollers8 will be opposite orV` in line with the passage 19, through which theyare toy pass when the two elements of this section are moved to theposition in which l/Vith the parts in the position shown in Figure 2, ifthe two elements of the interme-` diate section he moved about theirhinges 13, the spindles 24 will serve as pivots for the elements of thissection. vDuring this swinging movement of these elements, the guidorollers S will pass through the passage 19 and the stud 16 will engagethe pivoted plate 11 rocking the same around its pivotal point to the.position shown in Figure 3. It will The be noted that the stud 16.during the folding of the elements of this section, will pass to aposition in line with the pivotal point of the plate ll and thus preventsliding movement of the intermediate section while the same is retainedin itsfolded position.

With any ofthe several 4sections in the folded position, as shown inFigure 3, to eX- tend the sections, it is" only necessary .to slide theouter element thereon through the passage. In this movement the spindle24 engages its respective pivoted plate 11 and moves the same about itspivotal point, cansying yit to follow its respective stud 16. When two,elements of the section, being moved, have" moved to ai positionwhere'they are in alignment'with each other or extended, the plate11will then occupy a position parallel with the passageway ,througlrwhichlthe spindle QLtI-avels and 'in this position the.

entire section maylbe moved by sliding the same within the openingformed by the outer frame 6.

The passageways 19 heretofore mentioned l doors for engaging in saidguiding passage to guide the doors during their slidingmovement,said'frame having an intercepting passage leading from said guidingassage, and means on-certain of the doors or engaging in saidguidingvpassage'to prevent pivotal movement ofthe doors until the doorsreach Y a predetermined position and for then passing through theintercepting passage to allow pivotal movement of the doors, said meanscomprising a pair of spaced rollers arranged to engage the sides oftheguiding passage and also arranged to engage the sides of theintercepting passage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. y

JOHN T.y FArRHURsr.

